EIGHTEENTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART II 115 



do their best, and as I saw those people out there at the fair ground and 

 saw them, tallying about it, I was more convinced tlian ever that organi- 

 zations of this kind or worth while, that they fill a place and that they 

 ought to be encouraged and increased. I want to congratulate the man- 

 agers of the state fair association on the splendid exhibition that we had 

 this year, and I want to encourage you to go on and make it even better 

 and better as the years come and go. 



A year ago it Was my privilege to attend many of the county fairs. I 

 didn't do that this year! ! ! But I have enjoyed attending the county 

 fairs. It is a source of inspiration to attend them, and it gives one pride 

 in his state, and I think there cannot be too much state pride cultivated 

 in the breast of our people. A man who does not think well of his home 

 doesn't make a very good father or a very good citizen, and the man who 

 does not think well of his state is apt to be a very poor father and is 

 bound to be a mighty poor citizen. It is up to us to encourage our people 

 to have pride. in their state. It is one way of building citizenship; it is 

 one way of building this state; it isi one way of building civilization, and 

 all of the struggle we are now engaged in is for civilization. 



I know you are busy men. You are here to look after the matter-of- 

 fact details of these organizations, not to listen to long speeches from 

 me. It is a pleasure to be privileged to meet with you, to know that the 

 citizenship of the state is responding to the call of the nation and of 

 the world at this time. The responsibilities of the office which I hold are 

 many and I haven't had opportunity to give as much attention to the 

 work of this organization as I should like to do, but I know that you are 

 performing the tasks in such a way that you can be commended on the 

 progress being made. Mr. Wallace is right when he says that there is 

 just one task before America to do, and that is to win this war. Every 

 thought, every deed, every action of every individual should be to bring 

 about that result. This organization can be mighty helpful. You are 

 in touch with those who are producing, and food is essential. The labor 

 problem is going to be a serious one, but it is not so big that the men of 

 Iowa cannot solve it and produce more food-stuff on Iowa farms next 

 year than she produced last year or any other year in the history of the 

 state, barring some accidents of Nature, of course. 



To meet the problems growing out of this war may mean the entire re- 

 organization of social conditions and social standards, and this organiza- 

 tion must be leader in these new movements. You men who have been 

 chosen to represent this' organization in your various communities can- 

 not simply attend this^meeting and then go back home and wait for an- 

 other annual meeting; but you must go out from this meeting evangelized 

 for the cause of farming, for the cause of agriculture in this state, and 

 expend your energy in bettering it every hour and every minute. You 

 can do that! You have got to organize your communities. You have 

 got to organize every community along that line of endeavor just the 

 same as you do for the Red Cross. You have got to organize the county, 

 the township and the school district, and it is up to this organization to 

 lead. My message to you today is that you assume leadership with 

 courage; don't falter; don't be afraid. You will have to break new 



